The growth of underwater life, such as barnacles, mollusks and algae which attach to submarine objects, creates problems maintaining or using these structures. This problem is most commonly addressed by the use of a coating, such as a paint, which repels the unwanted growth. Many of these coatings, such as the commercially available product, EPCO-TEK 2000(R), which contains copper powder, is used with much success. The EPCO-TEK product is the closest prior art of which the applicants are aware. The exact formulation of this product is further described herein.
The EPCO-TEK compound and other copper-containing coatings, however, have little or no effect on chelating algae which requires sunlight and, therefore, is found at and just below the waterline. This problem is significant not only because of the unwanted presence of the algae itself, but also because the algae complexes the copper, negating the effect of the copper on barnacles and mollusks and allowing them to grow on what was a previously repelling surface. Another problem with antifoulant paints is the high percentage of copper they contain which makes it difficult to establish reliable colors through pigmentation. Small chemical variations in the water cause a differing copper compound formulation, thereby causing changes in color. There is therefore a need in the art of marine antifoulant coatings which is effective in retarding the growth of chelating algae at the waterline of floating objects, such as boats, docks, buoys, etc., which solves the problems of the prior art described above.